Bush Claims Presidency as Gore Concedes

With the words "I was not elected to serve one party but one nation," Texas Gov. George W. Bush assumed the mantle of president-elect in an address to the nation tonight.

Bush's speech came less than an hour after Vice President Gore conceded defeat in the most contentious presidential election in 124 years, saying: "For the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession."

The vice president, speaking for seven minutes on national television at 9 p.m. EST, said he had congratulated Bush by phone, and added that he would "honor the new president-elect and do everything possible to help him bring Americans together in fulfillment of the great vision that our Declaration of Independence defines and that our Constitution affirms and defends."

Bush, the first president's son to be elected to the White House since John Quincy Adams, made his own national address at 10 p.m. EST from the Texas House of Representatives chamber in Austin.

He praised Gore, and asked for the nation's prayers for all political leaders, including himself and Gore. He said the two men will meet next week in Washington.

"Our nation must rise above a house divided," Bush said in his 10-minute speech. "Americans share hopes and goals and values more important than any political disagreements. . . . Our votes may differ, but not our hopes."

Speaking from a room in the White House complex, Gore smiled and weaved humor into his speech. He said he had promised Bush he wouldn't call back and retract the concession as he had done in the early morning hours of Nov. 8. But he also made clear that his narrow defeat, sealed by last night's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, was painful.

"Let there be no doubt," he said. "While I strongly disagree with the Court's decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome, which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College. . . . This is America, and we put country before party."

Gore's concession speech came 23 hours after the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that there wasn't enough time to remedy constitutional problems in Florida's ballot recount process. Gore's last hope of overcoming Bush's reed-thin lead had rested in a possible recount of 45,000 disputed ballots. The Electoral College casts its presidential ballots on Monday, and Florida's 25 votes will give Bush one more than the 270 minimum needed for victory.

Gore said his future is uncertain. "As for what I'll do next," he said, "I don't know the answer to that one yet. . . . I'll spend time in Tennessee and mend some fences, literally and figuratively." Had Gore won his home state, he would have won the election. He said his only regret is that "I didn't get the chance to stay and fight for the American people over the next four years."

Gore said the election's "very closeness can serve to remind us that we are one people with a shared history and a shared destiny. . . . I know that many of my supporters are disappointed. I am too. But our disappointment must be overcome by our love of country. And I say to our fellow members of the world community, let no one see this contest as a sign of American weakness. The strength of American democracy is shown most clearly through the difficulties it can overcome."

"Some have expressed concern that the unusual nature of this election might hamper the next president and the conduct of his office," Gore said. "I do not believe that it need be so. President-elect Bush inherits a nation whose citizens will be ready to assist him in the conduct of his large responsibilities. I personally will be at his disposal, and I call on all Americans – I particularly urge all who stood with us – to unite behind our next president."

Bush, in his speech, said "We must seize this moment and deliver," and he briefly outlined some priorities: to improve schools, "save Social Security," strengthen Medicare "and offer prescription drug coverage for all our seniors," establish a strong military and sound foreign policy.

Bush continued: "I ask for you to pray for this great nation. I ask for your prayers for leaders from both parties. . . . Together we will create an America that is open, so every citizen has access to the American dream: An America that is educated, so every child has the keys to realize that dream; an America that is united in our diversity and our shared American values that are larger than race or party. I was not elected to serve one party, but to serve one nation."

The two speeches end the most bitterly contested presidential vote count since 1876, and the first election since 1888 in which the winner of the nationwide popular vote didn't win the all-important Electoral College vote. Five weeks after 100 million Americans went to the polls, Bush finally is free to plan a transition without fear of further legal setbacks or a possible 11th hour loss. As part of that transition, the two men will meet on Tuesday in Washington.

Tonight marks the second time Gore has fallen short in his lifelong quest for the presidency. As a senator from Tennessee, he ran for the Democratic nomination in 1988, only to falter in non-southern states including New York.

Florida courts certified Bush's lead at 537 votes on Nov. 26, although subsequent court rulings unofficially knocked the margin down to about 200 votes, out of nearly six million cast. Nationally, with more than 100 million votes cast, Gore led Bush by about 337,000. But Florida's 25 electoral votes gave Bush a total of 271, which is one more than the minimum needed to claim the White House.

For the first time since the Eisenhower presidency, Republicans will control the White House and both chambers of Congress, but by only the tiniest of margins. The new Senate will be divided 50-50, but the GOP vice president, Richard B. Cheney, will break tie votes. Republicans will have a nine-seat edge over Democrats in the U.S. House, meaning a defection of five Republicans on any issue would give the Democrats a majority if they can keep all of their members in line.

Some moderate GOP legislators said today their party will have to work with Democrats to succeed.

"We Republicans recognize the American public is tired of partisan political bickering," said Rep. Marge Roukema (R-N.J.). "We're going to move beyond that."

Bush's victory restores the GOP to the executive branch control it enjoyed for most of the last third of the 20th Century. Until the Clinton-Gore ticket claimed victories 1992 and 1996, Republicans had won five of the six presidential elections dating to 1968. Now they have won six of the last nine.